[f-AA] Fwd: FAASafety.gov - General Information "Important message for Ohio aviation safety!"

[Mike Knemeyer]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "FAASafety.gov" <anno...@faasafety.gov>
Date: 2 Jun 2010 13:07:14 -0600
Subject: FAASafety.gov - General Information "Important message for
Ohio aviation safety!"
To: mkne...@gmail.com

[image: FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov]

Important message for Ohio aviation safety!
Notice Number: NOTC2323

In our day and age of increased energy consumption and demand,
renewable sources of energy are becoming more and more prevalent. One
of these sources is wind power, and many of us are seeing huge farms
of wind turbines sprout up across the countryside. While these
turbines are enormous and are relatively easy to spot, there is a
darker and less well-known aspect of the wind power industry.

In order to determine the best location for a wind farm, the presiding
company needs to know where the "good wind" is. They determine this
through the use of sensor towers, commonly referred to as "met
towers," that measure the wind speed and direction and duration.
These towers pose a very significant threat to aviation, and they are
coming to Ohio. They are going to be more common around the Ohio
River valley but will likely appear throughout the entire state.

These towers are a serious threat to aviation for several reasons.
They are approximately 196 feet tall, bringing them under the
threshold of requiring aviation obstruction lighting or markings.
They are relatively small in profile, which makes them very difficult
to see, and have a very large footprint due to guy wires holding them
up. They are temporary in nature which makes them impossible to chart
or NOTAM. They can be erected very quickly, in as little as 30
minutes. There have been documented cases of an aerial application
pilot spraying a field, going back to base to reload and have lunch,
and returning to the same field to find a met tower has been put up.
Due to the highly competitive nature of the wind power business, the
construction and distribution of these towers is a very clandestine
operation in that the companies responsible do not inform anyone
(aside from the owner of the land) that these towers are coming.

The FAA and the FAASTeam implore all pilots to use extreme caution and
be aware that these met towers could appear, quite literally,
overnight. Please be careful out there! Feel free to contact your
local Flight Standards District Office or your local FAASTeam
representative for further information.

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Mike & Melva Knemeyer
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[11...@comcast.net]

And the FAA cannot restrict the building of structures, does not have the authority to do so.   If a person wanted to build a tall tower off the end of a runway, the FAA cannot stop that.  The person is required to file a notice of proposed construction and allow the FAA the appropriate time to determine is the item will be an obstruction or a hazard based on the definations of each.  The FAA will then  advise the proponent of the findings and the suggested steps to follow then.  However, the final action is up to the proponent (and the authority that would issue a construction permit, and insurance companies).

[Rich Dugger]

And that is why it is EXTREMELY important to attend those boring meetings of your BOAC or aviation Authority or who ever the sponsor is of your local airport.

 

And your local zoning board needs to be on board with the local airport sponsor to control these building permits.

We recently got out locals to write an ordinance that no "unlighted" towers can be erected in the city limits and are working on making it a county ordinance.

 

[Thomas DeWinter]

Many municipalities that own the airports have height limitation or other zoning ordinances.  So while it is 100% correct that the FAA does not issue a permit and can not stop the action.  The local zoning authority or owner of the airport may have the ability to stop it.

Here in WI we have a couple of law or administrative codes to help in this regard.  One of the State's requirements the municipality has to have in place in order to receive state grant aid for airport improvements is a height limitation zoning ordinance.  This is the true permitting authority.  And the airspace study and recommendation of the FAA can then be used as evidence etc to be considered by the zoning authority to determine if they will allow the construction of a tall structure that exceeds the ordinance.

In addition WI is also implementing other planning ordinances.  This includes in addition to the height restrictions, the ability for communities to establish land use ordinances.  That is, they can establish that certain types of building developments around airports be allowed or restricted.  Such as allowing only commercial or industrial development near an airport and restrict residential and/or limit the density of residential development around airports.  This is a bit big brother like but it really is a benefit to all.  Since industrial neighbors are less susceptible to noise issues.  It keeps residents from always complaining about airport noise by keeping them away.  In addition accident history shows that more aircraft accidents occur near the airport and thus keeping occupied or large congregations of people outside these areas is a good thing.  A warehouse with a few employees during the day is much better than a busy neighborhood filled with kids playing in the streets in the event an airplane doesn't make the airport.

These are things "friends" of the airport can try to proactively get in place at their public owned airports.  It protects the airport and the investment of the tax dollars in the airport.  No one wants to see a $1 million runway reconstruction project done one year become a totally useless piece of pavement because someone built a cell tower or wind turbine 1,000' off the end of the Rwy centerline! 

So if lyour state does not have this requirement.  You may want to find out if your state laws allow

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From: "11...@comcast.net" <11...@comcast.net>
To: aer...@westmont.edu
Sent: Wed, June 2, 2010 3:04:39 PM
Subject: Re: [f-AA] Fwd: FAASafety.gov - General Information "Important message for Ohio aviation safety!"